Happy New Year from Northern Michigan! Most people spent their New Year’s Day inside by the fire. I spent mine by the fire, too—it just happened to be inside my 22-inch Weber Kettle.

The thermometer read 15°, but with the wind chill, the “RealFeel” was sitting at a biting 1°F. When you’re grilling in conditions like this, you aren’t just cooking; you’re managing heat loss. Here’s how I tackled a Coffee-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin without letting the Michigan winter win.

The Prep: A Clean Start

Pork tenderloin is a lean, delicate muscle. I started by performing a meticulous trim, removing all the silver skin. If you don’t take that silver skin off, it won’t render down—it’ll just get tough and chewy.

The “Science-First” Seasoning

I’ve been leaning into a specific seasoning philosophy lately: Salt separately. I make my coffee rub without any salt. This allows me to dry-brine the meat with the exact amount of salt it needs first, and then apply the coffee rub for flavor and bark. It gives me total control over the sodium levels without sacrificing that deep, earthy coffee crust.

The Strategy: Two-Zone and No-Peeking

When it’s 1°F outside, the “No-Peek” rule is absolute law. Every time you lift that lid, you lose 50° of ambient heat instantly.

I set up a two-zone fire with Kingsford charcoal and used a remote temperature probe. This allowed me to monitor the cook from the warmth of the kitchen. I placed the pork on the cool side alongside a foil packet of oyster mushrooms with three tablespoons of butter.

The Numbers that Matter

• Target Smoke: We held the indirect zone until the pork hit 130°F
• The Sear: Once we hit 130°F, I moved the meat directly over the hot coals. I flipped the tenderloin every minute to build a mahogany crust without burning the coffee grounds.
• The Pull: I pulled the meat at exactly 141°F

The Result: Silky and Savory

After a 10-minute rest, the carry-over cooking brought the pork to a perfect, juicy medium. The coffee rub creates a savory, almost “steak-like” bark that pairs beautifully with the silkiness of the buttery oyster mushrooms.

It was a gourmet dinner born out of single-digit temperatures. It just goes to show: if you trust the science and watch your probes, the weather is just a detail.

Want to log your own winter cooks? Check out my book, Backyard Barbecue Log and Field Guide, available now on Amazon!

— Tom